Improvement in gates



ROBERT T. BOWNE.

Improvement in Gates.

l Patented Apri125, 1871.

ROBERT rr. BoWNR, or FALLSTON, MARYLAND Letters Patent No. 114,101, dated April 25, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATES.

The Schedule referred to Lu these I ietters Patent and making part o! the same.

Toall whom 'it 'may concern Beit known that I, ROBERT T. BOWNE, of Fallston, in the county of Harford and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Gates; and l do hereby declare the following'to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved gate.

Figure 2 is a plan ofthe movable step for the lower pintle of the gate.

Figure 3 is a plan of my gate.

Figure 4 is a plan, showing the method of extending my invention to a double gate.

My invention relates to that class of gates known Ls automatic; and t It consists in novel devices for throwing the point of support outside the center of gravity, so that the weight of the gate will canse it to open; also, in arranging the movable support for the bottom pintle so that the weight of the gate will not cause a reaction, if the moving force is not'continued, until the gate has swung part-way open; also, in temporary fulcrums to facilitate the starting of -tlie gate either to open or close; also, in stationary cams which impart the initial movement of the gate to open or close; and, finally, inthe means employed to operate a double gate with the force that is employed if the gate is single.

In automatic gates as hitherto constructed there have been several defects, which are removed in my invention.

First, where wires or cords have been employed to operate the mechanism and set the gate in motion, said wires or cords have been left more or less slack, so that there is some lost motion. When this slack is taken up by the motion of the mechanism it is necessarily accompanied by a jerk, which, as well known, is a most effective way of applying force, and most destructive to the parts subjected to it. Hence, mechanisms so arranged are peculiarly liable to disarrangement.

It is also known that where the parts of an antomatic gate are adjusted and arranged to move easily it is necessary to maintain the moving force until the inertia of the gate has been overcome, or its gravity will canse a reaction of the mechanism and the gate will not swing. It has, therefore, been necessary in easy-moving gates to use considerable caution in applying the 4moving force, or to employ a latch, which will prevent the reaction of the mechanism.

Other gates are constructed so as to act with so much friction that any reaction is thereby prevented, but they require no further reference. These two are the principal sources of diicnlty in operating the automatic gates which have been before the public, andthey are both completely obviated by my invention.

That others may more particularly understand my invention, I will particularly describe it.

1n the drawing the proportions of the parts represented are not the correct proportions for a working ate. g A A' are the gate-posts, and

B is the gate, of ordinary construction.

The gate B is hung to the post A, and the upper pintle b is placed on the outside of the gate-frame and rests vin the loop c projectingfrom the post A.

The lower pintle d is placed on the inner side of the gate-frame and rests in a stepfe, made in a movable wheel or disk, E. .Vhen the gate is closed, as shown, its pintles are. arranged so that it shall stand upright; and, as is well known, if the relative position of the pintles is changed by the movement of either onetoward the vertical line of the other, the gate will be inclined and its gravity will cause it to swing open. When open, va reverse movement of the pintles will cause the gate to close.

The disk E may move upon a center-pin, F, (see dg. 2,) and it may be provided with a stop, of any proper construction, to limit its motion, if such device shall be found to be necessary. Ordinarily, the connection with its motors will be sufficient to limit its motion and hold it in proper position. Several stepholes e are provided in the disk E, so that the gravity of the gate, to open or close it, may be increased or diminished, as may be required.

The disk E is grooved on its edge, so that it may be moved iu either direction bya direct pull by a cord which passes around the disk and communicates with a motor of some proper description placed at a distance from said disk.

The most convenient and effective motor is a pulley or grooved disk, G, placed at the end of the crank-rod H, which is laid across the road-way at suoli distance from the gate as will permit ample space for the team to be clear of the gate while it swings, and after the wagon-iifheel has passed over and depressed the crank I.

flhe motion of the pulley G cannot exceed one quarter revolution, and it must, therefore, be somewhat larger than the disk E, as it is required that said disk shall move through rather more than one quarter revolution. Practically the disk E maybe eight inches and the pulley Gr twelve inches in diameter.

Itis required that the disk E shall move through rather more than one quarter revolution because', to prevent any reaction, as before alluded to, it is re- Vquired that the lower pintle d should be carried past the center F of the disk each time it is moved. The gravity of the gate is then exerted to keep the disk in that position. This would not be the case if the movingforce should be removed before the point of supporte had passed the center F.

The wires or cords J are strained tight, so that, Whenthe pulley G is moved, its motion isv instantly transmitted to the disk E and to the opposite pulley and crank-rod without lost motion or. jerk.

VVi'th this arrangement of devices the gate will be opened by the depression of the proper crank, I, without regard tothe shortness of time during which said crank is kept depressed. With other automatic gates. which open' easily it is :necessary to retain the wagonwheel upon the crank untilthe gate has swung partly open "or shut, as the case may be. This is a feat lsomewhat di'cult to perform.v With my gate the simple passage of the Wagon-wheel over the crank will suice.

Wh en the disk E begins to rotate, `the first movement imparted to the gate is an elevation of its Vfront end, because the lower pintle d isv carried away from the post A. This elevation of the front end of the gate lifts the latch out of its keeper, so that it may be atl liberty to swing.

I ndit advantageous lto ax the cam K 'to the post A', so that, when the frontend of the gate begins to rise up, it will encounter said cam and be pushed aside, thus imparting to it its initial movement in the direction in which it is to swing. This is quite imshownv in g. 4, they may be` operated by the same power by means of a wire running from the disk E to the opposite disk E". The twoI gates will then swing in opposite directions.

' Having deseribedmy invention,

What I claim as new ,is- 1. In connection with the gate B the movable disk E, bearing the lower pintle d, arranged in combination with pulleys G on the end of crank-rods H, and tense cords or wires J, to move through more than one quarter revolution to fcarry the pintle past` the center F, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In combination with an automatic gate the cams K, substantially as and for the purpose-set forth. v

3. 'In combination with an automatic gate the xed fulcrums L, as'and for the purpose s et forth.

Witnesses: ROBT. T. BOW'NE.

LEWIS R. KEIZER, W. PAINTER. 

